Day 739: Absolute pin
Target rating: 1591
Lesson of the day
An absolute pin freezes a piece on the line between its own king and your long-range attacker: moving it is simply illegal. The pattern is three units on one straight line — your bishop, rook or queen, an enemy piece, and the enemy king behind it. A pinned piece neither attacks nor defends anything: treat it as if it were off the board. Pile up on it, ideally with a pawn, because running away is against the rules.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: queen to h4 (g3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: pawn to b6 (c5·7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: rook to f7 (f1·10)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to b2 (e2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: pawn to f7 (g6·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: bishop to c5 (b6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: queen to b6 (c5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to g7 (g3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: queen to f2 (e1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Winning blow: queen to h7 (h8·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h8 (f6·4)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 3: queen to h7 (c2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Mate in 3: bishop to g6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Mate in 3: rook to a3 (b3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Mate in 3: queen to c5 (d4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Mate in 3: pawn to e6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Attack on the uncastled king: pawn to c6 (d5·39)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to d8 (c8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Mate in 2: queen to f8 (d6·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Attack on the uncastled king: bishop to a5 (e1·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Mate in 2: knight to d4 (b5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 3: queen to d8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Mate in 2: knight to b6 (d5·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Mate in 3: knight to g5Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to c7 (b5·29)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
Day 740 →